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Original poster

to think my friend has joined a cult?

238 replies

PumpkinPieInTheSky · 15/10/2014 09:10

Known my friend for years, she is lovely. Funny, clever, friendly, raises loads of money for charity etc. One day she got her eye lashes done as a one off for a party and got chatting to the lady who was doing them. This lady persuaded her to buy a product from her - I remember my friend saying at the time that it was a hard sell and she didn't want to buy it.

She did buy it though and she is now hooked and now sells it too. She thinks others need to be persuaded as hard as she did to buy it. She genuinely believes she is providing a really helpful service and has stopped all her usual charity fundraising and all time is spent on "helping people change their lives" - ie sell them this product too.

On FB of anyone questions it she shouts them down and copies and pastes paragraph upon paragraph of "research" on it and then blocks the person.

She is being tagged in all sorts of posts about it now after some kind of huge meet up at the weekend, examples -

"So totally mind blowing experience over the past 4 days with amazing people. Abso loved every min of it guys thanks so much. Can't even put into words how i feel right now. The emotions, the ambitions, where this company is going. The scientific research is flawless... the peer study reviews OMG this is just the start... & where we not only as a company but where we as a team are going... this is ready for take off..."

"This was by far the most amazing experience ever, and to think this is work is just insane. Love the products, love the business, love the people and the positivity surrounding everything we are doing. "

"I'm sooo motivated to take my business to the next level and I want you all to join me!!! I want to make your life better, your family and friends life better. I promise... I can do this for you, all you need to do is PM me and give me a chance to prove it.
Life is too short to wait!
I don't want you looking back in a years time thinking "I wish I took a chance" own your own life starting today. I guarantee it'll be the best thing you've ever done ??
Come to this event tomorrow night (Details in the poster below) I will sort transport for you. An hour is all I ask, it will change your life. You've got absolutely nothing to lose but everything to gain XxX"

What has happened to my lovely friend? It is all she talks about now :( I miss her. Any problem you have she has an answer...her product! Some friends have bought it to shut her up but she doesn't even stop then - she wants you to buy more and more and then start selling.

OP posts:
KateSpade · 15/10/2014 16:40

Good point isabella she mentioned it had a £200 start up cost & was £90 per week! Although, I must have got that one wrong, per week?! Shock

She looks good though!...

squoosh · 15/10/2014 16:43

I just knew it would be Juice Plus.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 15/10/2014 16:51

I would like to point you in the direction of Quackwatch PumpkinPieintheSky. Your friend has unfortunately been taken in.

BuggersMuddle · 15/10/2014 17:09

I would just block the content and keep all interaction off Facebook.

We have a family member doing this right now (not Juice Plus, but similar shite). Fortunately they are young and have limited responsibilities to have time to learn not to be a twat

It's horrible seeing otherwise sensible people get sucked in and waste money.

Deathraystare · 15/10/2014 17:14

Because fruits and vegetables are soooo last century and, besides, no supermarkets sell them anymore!

Ohhhh yes! Imagine the embarrassment of actually still buying fruit and veg, from a shop! The shame!!!!!!!

These people are as scarey as those who "se the light'. They are mad!!!!!

UTube is full of them. They hijack posts that are nothing whatsoever to do with juice, fruit and veg or whatever and then spout off about their product. There are make and skin care pyramid sellars too who won't shut up.

Deathraystare · 15/10/2014 17:16

Even my scam loving Aunt hasn't fallen for that (I don't think) -mind you, as she doesn't like people she won't be bothering them with this stuff so I think all is ok.

BitOutOfPractice · 15/10/2014 17:24

I thought this pyramid selling crap was illegal now anyway!

aurorasky · 15/10/2014 17:54

Is 'Younique' the latest one?

BitOutOfPractice · 15/10/2014 17:56

That should be made illegal because of the name!!

aurorasky · 15/10/2014 18:01

What is Avon then? Are they all not just people selling a product to people who like and want the product? (genuine question)

bananaballoo · 15/10/2014 18:04

sounds like airbonne to me.

Summerisle1 · 15/10/2014 18:48

What is Avon then? Are they all not just people selling a product to people who like and want the product? (genuine question)

Avon, if I recall correctly from the days when I wasn't so quick to avoid parties disguised as sales opportunities, is not so much a multi-level marketing organisation as it is a way of buying stuff.

Although Avon reps are quite keen on recruiting other victims people to hold parties, I don't recall any of the ridiculous "platform" shit or once in a lifetime bollocks. Let alone ludicrous claims for their products. It was just cosmetics. Sold to people who, in the main, wanted the products.

Frogisatwat · 15/10/2014 19:05

My twunt of an expartner bought this. I thought how about you lay off the 6 cans of lager a day and stop being such a fat greedy pig?

bodhranbae · 15/10/2014 19:06

I have just had to gently unravel a friend from the Juice Plus fiasco.

Amazes me how easily sensible intelligent people can get caught up in this crap.

Suzannewithaplan · 15/10/2014 19:27

I suppose that once you've bought into it, invested time, money and your reputation as a person of integrity, you feel obliged to continue as per the sunk cost fallacy?

MintyCoolMojito · 15/10/2014 21:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

frumpet · 15/10/2014 21:13

I am sitting here poised to repel any 'Younique' invitations as a local lady has started doing it . The prices are astronomical , i don't wear make-up , don't mind looking haggard and don't want to pay £79 to have oily eye bags Wink

KingJoffreysBloodshotEye · 15/10/2014 21:22

I know a few BodyBiVi people.

They go on a bit. Both of their husbands have actually recently left them - don't know if it's related to that?

It's about £70 a week. For protein powder.

Shock

Protein powder like you get at Holland & BlahBlah.

They have both lost weight. But nothing that dramatic. And nothing they couldn't have done with cutting calories like a normal dieting person.

SoftKittyWarmKitty · 15/10/2014 21:52

As soon as I read the OP, I knew it would be about Juice+. Think we have a mutual FB friend Pumpkin, as my newsfeed was full of Barcelona updates this weekend. In fact FB friend's status updates are 95% JP-based, be it pills, drinks, meetings, food or fitness, often accompanied by comments about how they're never, ever ill and won't be due to JP. Be interesting to see if they ever come down with a cold or something (not wishing anyone ill, but I'd be interested to see how they play it if they catch a bug).

FatAmy · 15/10/2014 22:37

Suzanne no the trip was paid for by my friend, there's plans to go to Switzerland and LA soon for more conventions too Hmm

MaryWestmacott · 16/10/2014 13:41

oooh, just checked my facebook and I've got someone on my feed I used to work with (who never posts!) that has added this as their status:
Just finished a business presentation and wondered if anyone knows of anyone that would be interested in earning £800 - £2000 per month?

I reckon i'm going to be getting some top quality fake science soon!

Delphinegreen · 16/10/2014 15:53

There are 4 reps for aloe in my friendship group. It's awful trying to duck & dive them.

I receive requests to hold a party, offer of free trials, party invites, offers to become a rep. Facebook is a nightmare for it.

It is like a cult & it relies on the sympathy of friends.

I noticed that they are all trying to compete with each other and are starting to get snide about each other. I'm just waiting for the situation to implode as none of them make any money.

weeblueberry · 16/10/2014 15:58

Five of my FB friends keep trying to get me to join the ForeverLiving thing. I started off gently telling them I didn't have time and have got to the point where I've told them that I sell for a living (an actual job in advertising, I promise Wink) and wouldn't see anything I didn't believe in and whose only purpose was to recruit further people. That shut them up sharpish. They keep putting these ridiculous before and after photos which just annoy me so much. Ironically none of these before and afters are of said friends...

ALittleFaith · 16/10/2014 16:27

I have a couple of friends who have been sucked in. One suddenly said on FB I'm so impressed I'm thinking of selling it...and so the campaign began.

To be fair, another lost loads of weight and looked really well. However she wasn't just juicing, she was eating a GF and dairy free diet. Couldn't maintain it long term of course.

ALittleFaith · 16/10/2014 16:28

Oh and I tried the Aloe Vera forever living juice which apparently would cure my IBS. It was absolutely disgusting! And then the seller tried to get me selling it too, the words 'business opportunity' were bandied around!

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